WETA

WETA is the New Zealand-based studio responsible for the spectacular special effects for the Lord of the Rings films, among many others. The crowd scenes produced by WETA are among the most influential and sophisticated applications of Craig Reynolds’ “boids” algorithm. In the WETA generated scenes shown here, thousands of orcs, humans, dragons and other creatures are visible at the same time, exhibiting varied and complex action that would be impossible for human animators to produce. These extraordinary scenes offer a sophisticated balance of fantastical scale and believable behaviour, satisfying both our imaginations and our rational minds.

WETA, Autonomous Agents in Recent Film (excerpts), 2022, video, Courtesy of WETA